Machine for producing congealed substances



Sept. 22, 1936. w. H. TAYLOR MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CONGEAIJED SUBSTANCES Filed Feb. 2, 1935 w/ BY MIJ.,

Patented Sept. 22, 1936 UNITED STATESl 2,054,841 MACHINE FOR PRODUCING yCONGEALED SUBSTANCES william n. Taylor, Muskego, wis.,

The Vilter Manufacturing Company,

assignor to Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsh Application February 2, 1935, Serial No. 4,667

14 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to improvements in the art of congealing uent substances, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of machines for producing ice.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved machine for producing congealed substances, which is simple in construction and efilcient inl operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and useful ice making machine which is compact and durable in structure, and which has enormous capacity considering the size of the unit.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved liquid congealing unit of extremely simple construction which can be manufactured and operated at relatively low cost, and the capacity of which may be readily altered. 20 Still another object of the invention is to provide an automatically functioning slush-ice producing structure which can be disposed in any desired position, and even immersed in liquid, if so desired.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an ice machine having readily machinable cooling surfaces of extended area, and provided with simple means for removing the congealed material therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for subjecting the ice-forming surfaces of a machine to cooling action, without danger of escape of the refrigerating medium.

These and other objects and advantages of the 35 present improvement will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of an embodiment of the invention, and of the mode of constructing and of operating liquid congealing machines built in 40 accordance with the improvement, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a relatively diagrammatic central vertical longitudinal section through one of the improved machines for producing congealed substances; I

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the machine of Fig. 1, taken along the line V2--2;

and y Fig. through the machine, 55 of Fig. 1.

3 is a transverse central vertical section taken along the line 3--3 (Cl. (i2- 106) While the invention has been shown and described herein as being specifically embodied in a machine for producing slush-ice from water, it is not desired' to unnecessarily restrict the scope by such specific embodiment, since the im- 5 proved features may be readily applicable with like advantage to other types of machines for producing congealed substances.

Referring to the drawing, the improved ice making unit specifically shown comprises, in general, a main casing 5 composed of two end and two intermediate fixed sections 6 having spaced external cooling surfaces 1 and internal refrigerant confining chambers 8, and lower and upper refrigerant supply and exhaust headers 9, l0, respectively, in open communication with the several chambers 8; a series of three revolving Scrapers II disposed between adjacent cooling surfaces 1 of the successive casing sections 6 and having opposite cutting edges I2 cooperable with the surfaces 1 to remove the successive ice films therefrom; a main shaft I3 journaled in bearings I4 secured to the end casing sections 6 and rotatably supporting the Scrapers II. for movement along the cooling surfaces 1; and one or more liquid supply pipes I5 having orces I6 for delivering sprays of water over the cooling surfaces 1 and against the revolving Scrapers II.

While the machine specically illustrated has four casing sections 6 cooperating with three revolving Scrapers I I, the actual number of these sections and Scrapers may obviously be reduced or increased to produce a unit of any desired capacity. The unit may also be disposed with the axis of the main shaft I3 either horizontal, as shown, or vertical, or at an inclination; and the number of spray pipes I5 may be diminished or increased, or these pipes may be entirely omitted and the unit immersed in liquid sufiiciently to maintain the cooling surfaces 1 or a portion thereof beneath the liquid level.

The casing sections 6 are all of like construction, and while the cooling or congealing surfaces 1 would preferably be formed plane, as shown,

these surfaces may obviouslys-be frustro-conical if desired. The sections 6 are rigidly attached to the headers 9, I0 by cap-screws I1 and have lower and upper elongated openings I8 affording constant communication between the several chambers 8 and the headers. The refrigerant supply header 9 has a refrigerant supplypipe I9 which may be provided with a suitable control valve, and

the exhaust header I0 has a discharge pipe 20 15 sections 6.

formed to deliver the spent refrigerating medium from the unit.

The several scrapers II are removably secured to carrier arms 2I by means of screws 22 in order to permit replacement or sharpening of rthese Scrapers; and the scraper carrier arms 2I are adjustably secured to the main shaft I3 by means of set-screws 23 so as to permit angular adjustment of the scrapers II about the shaft axis so as to secure most eillcient distribution of the driving forces. The main driving shaft I3 may be provided with a propelling pulley 2l or other suitable driving means, and extends through enlarged central openings 25 in the several casing In order to prevent congealed material from lodging in these openings 25, the portions of the shaft I3 within the openings are provided with helical scraping conveyors 26 which serve to remove and to expel congealed substance from the openings 25 during normal rotation of the shaft I3. 'I'he liquid supply pipes I5, when used, may be provided with regulating valves, and

the orices I6 are preferably so formed and located that they will maintain the cooling surfaces `I abundantly supplied with fresh liquid.

Duringthe normal operation of the improved liquid congealing machine, the several surfaces 'I are being cooled by the admission of regulated quantities of fluent refrigerant from the pipe I9 and header 9 to the several cooling chambers 8,

and the spent refrigerant is being withdrawn from these chambers through the header III and exhaust pipe 20. The cooling surfaces 1 are being supplied with abundant quantities of fresh liquid Scrapers II are being constantly revolved by the application of power to the pulley 24, so as to cause the cutting edges I2 thereof to constantly advance along and in close proximity to the cooling surfaces ,'I. The Scrapers II thus function to constantly remove the films of ice formed upon the cooling surfaces 1, and the ice crystals thus removed are carried from the spaces between the successive casing sections 6 and are removed from the scrapers II, by the excess liquid supplied.

The mixture of liquid and ice crystals thus removed from the unit may be subsequently treated for the removal of excess liquid, and the entire unit may be housed Within an enclosing casing in order to prevent excess melting of the removed ice crystals.

While the shaft I3 is being rotated, the scraper conveyors 26, disposed within the openings 25 of the sections 6, prevent congealed liquid from depositing within these openings, and in order to prevent excessive heating of the exterior of the unit, the outer surfaces of the end sections 6l and of the headers 9, I0 may be covered with insulation. By properly positioning the Scrapers II 00 about the driving shaft I3, the power consumption may be reduced to a minimum, and by regulating the rate of rotation and the admission of liquid and refrigerant, most eiilcient operating conditions may be readily established. 'I'he 55 Scrapers II are also readily removable for replacement or in order to sharpen the cutting edges I2 thereof, and the entire machine may obviously be readily assembled or dismantled. The normal operation of the machine is obviously 7n automatic with the exception of the 'adjustments required in order to establish'predetermined conditions of operation, and the unit obviously has enormous capacity considering the space occupied thereby. The capacity of the machine may 75 also be increased or diminished by providing more or less casing sections 6 and scrapers I I, and the mechanism, by virtue of its simplicity, can obviously be manufactured and operated at extremely moderate cost.

It should be understood that it is not desired I5 to limit the invention to the exact details of construction and to the precise mode of operation. herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art. 10

Y It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a fixed casing having an external substantially planevtcooling surface, means for cooling said surface 'tovfreezing' temperature, 15 means forl delivering liquid to said surface, and a scraper movable over said surface to remove successive ice films therefrom'.

2. In combination, a casing having. spaced stationary cooling surfaces, means for subjecting 20 said surfaces to cooling action, means for depositing liquid upon said'surfaces, and a scraper movable between and along said surfaces ,to remove congealed substance therefrom.

3. In combination, a xed casing having par- 2,5 allel cooling surfaces disposed about an axis, means for cooling said surfaces to freezing tem,- peratures, means for depositing liquid upon said surfaces, and a scraper revolvable about said axis between said surfaces and having cutting edges o movable in close proximity to and along said surfaces.

'4. In combination, a casing having a series of sections provided with external cooling surfaces 35 either from the pipes I5 or otherwise, and the separated by an intervening space, means for subs jecting said surfaces to freezing temperatures, means for supplying liquid to said surfaces, and a scraper movable about the central axis of said sections and having cutting edges movable in close proximity to and along said surfaces. 40

5. In combination, a casing comprising a seriesV of detachably interconnected sections having external adjacent cooling surfaces, means for subjecting said surfaces to freezing temperatures, means for supplying liquid to said surfaces, and y45 a scraper movable between adjacent sections of said casing in close proximity to said surfaces, said scrapers beingl adjustable relative to each o er. Y

6. In combination, a casing comprisingl a series of sections having adjacent cooling surfaces, means for cooling said surfaces, means for supplying liquid to said surfaces, a scraper cooperable with said surfaces to remove ice deposits therefrom, a shaft extending through openings in said 55 sections for revolving said scraper, and means associated with said shaft for preventing lodging of congealed substances within said openings.

7. In combination, a casing comprising a series of sections each having a refrigerant receiving :60 chamber therein and an external cooling surface, headers for admitting refrigerant to and from said chambers, means for supplying liquid to said surfaces, and a scraper movable between adjacent cooling surfaces of said sections for removing conv gealed substances therefrom.

8. In combination, a casing comprising a series vof sections each having a refrigerant receiving accessi of sections having adjacent parallel extemal suriaces, means for cooling said surfaces, means for supplying liquid to said surfaces, a shaft extend-l ing centrally through said easing secticnaand scrapers carried by said shaft and movable between said surfaces to remove congealed liquid therefrom.' 10. In'combinaticn, s. stationary casing having a series of openings therethrough bounded by parallel cooling surfaces, means for subjecting said surfaces to cooling action, means for supplying liquid tc said surfaces, and a series of scrapers movable within said openings to remove' conilealed liquid from said surfaces.

11. In combination, a stationary casing having a series of parallel openings therethrough each bounded on opposite sides by cooling surfaces. means for cooling said surfaces, means for suplying liquid tc said surfaces from the exterior cf said casing. and a series of scrapers revolvable within the successive openings to remove congealed liquid from said bounding surfaces thereof.

l2. In combination, a casing having a series of through openings each bounded by parallel coolscrapers being independently removable from within said openings 13. In combination, a ilxed casing having a se ries of parallel through'openings each provided with parallel bounding surfaces, means for sub- Jecting said surfaces to a cooling action, means for supplying liquid to said surfaces, and a scraper revolvable within each of said openings, each of said scrapers beingadjustable and removable independently of others and having cutting edges cooperable with the adjacent cooling surfaces. 14. In combination. a xed casing having a pair of external cooling surfaces separated by an intervening space, means for cooling said slnfaces. means for supplying liquid to said surfaces. and an ice film remover movable in the space between said surfaces for simultaneously removing congealed substances from both surfaces.

. WILLIAM H. TAYIR, 

